The present invention relates broadly to motion upholstery furniture designed to support a user's body in an essentially seated disposition. Motion upholstery furniture includes recliners, incliners, sofas, love seats, sectionals, theater seating, traditional chairs, and chairs with a moveable seat portion, such furniture pieces being referred to herein generally as “seating units.” More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved linkage mechanism developed to accommodate a wide variety of styling for a seating unit, which is otherwise limited by the configurations of linkage mechanisms in the field. Additionally, the improved linkage mechanism of the present invention provides for reclining a seating unit that is positioned against a wall or placed within close proximity of other fixed objects.
Reclining seating units exist that allow a user to forwardly extend a footrest and to recline a backrest rearward relative to a seat. These existing seating units typically provide three basic positions (e.g., a standard, non-reclined closed position; an extended position; and a reclined position). In the closed position, the seat resides in a generally horizontal orientation and the backrest is disposed substantially upright. Additionally, if the seating unit includes one or more ottomans attached with a mechanical arrangement, the mechanical arrangement is collapsed such that the ottoman(s) are not extended. In the extended position, often referred to as a television (“TV”) position, the ottoman(s) are extended forward of the seat, and the backrest remains sufficiently upright to permit comfortable television viewing by an occupant of the seating unit. In the reclined position the backrest is pivoted rearward from the extended position into an obtuse relationship with the seat for lounging or sleeping.
Several modern seating units in the industry are adapted to provide the adjustment capability described above. However, these seating units require relatively complex linkage mechanisms to afford this capability. The complex linkage assemblies limit certain design aspects when incorporating automation. In particular, these linkage assemblies impose constraints on incorporating a single motor for automating adjustment between the positions mentioned above, and require two or more motors to accomplish automation of each adjustment. For instance, achieving a full range of motion when automatically adjusting between positions conventionally requires a plurality of large motors each with a substantial stroke. (The geometry of the linkage assembly prohibits mounting a single large motor thereto without interfering with crossbeams, the underlying surface, or moving parts attached to the linkage assembly.) As such, a more refined linkage mechanism that achieves full movement when being automatically adjusted between the closed, extended, and reclined positions would fill a void in the current field of motion-upholstery technology.
In addition, the lack of lateral adjustment offered by the conventional complex linkage mechanisms disadvantageously requires the entire seating unit to be moved outwardly away from an adjacent wall. Thus, the conventional complex linkage mechanisms require the seating unit to occupy a larger area of a room. Otherwise, without providing substantial clearance between the backrest and the adjacent wall, the backrest in the reclined position will contact the adjacent wall.
Further, when employing motorized adjustment to the conventional complex linkage mechanisms, the seating unit housing these mechanisms is susceptible to tipping forward when adjusted to the reclined position. Tipping is generally caused by an occupant of the seating unit leaning forward while a motor, or other automated mechanism, disallows the collapse of a footrest assembly, which hold the ottoman(s) outward from the seating unit. Accordingly, the occupant is generally obligated to invoke the motorized adjustment when leaning forward in the seating unit to avoid upsetting the seating unit.
Even further, motorized adjustment of the conventional complex linkage mechanisms often causes the ottoman(s) and the backrest of the seating unit to move out of sequence. For example, when adjusting from the closed position to the extended position, a pressure generated by the occupant's legs on the ottoman(s) may cause resistance in extending the footrest assembly. As a result of the resistance, the motorized adjustment may commence reclining the backrest out of sequence until full travel of a predefined stroke is attained.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention pertain to a novel linkage mechanism that allows a seating unit to provide a space-saving utility that overcomes the need for considerable wall clearance. Further, the linkage mechanism of the invention is constructed in a simple and refined arrangement in order to provide suitable function while overcoming the above-described, undesirable features inherent within the conventional complex linkage mechanisms.